Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Tetzaveh/Purim
V'asisa bigdei Kodesh l'Aharon achicha l'kavod ul'tifares (28:2)
Rav Yitzchok Hutner once related that while studying in the Slabodka yeshiva in Europe, he often heard...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Terumah
V’asu li Mikdash v’shachanti b’socham (25:8)
One of the blessings commonly given to a newly-engaged couple is “Der zivug zohl oleh yafeh zein.” While it...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Mishpotim
V’ki yigach shor … v’im shor nagach hu mit’mol shil’shom v’huad biv’alav (21:28-29)
A common criticism of yeshiva students is that they spend their days...
Parshas Beshalach: Parsha Potpourri
Ki asher r’isem es Mitzrayim hayom lo sosifu lirosam od ad olam (14:13)
Vayar Yisroel es Mitzrayim meis al s’fas ha’yam (14:30)
The Beis HaLevi,...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Va’era
Lachein emor liV'nei Yisroel ani Hashem v'hotzeisi eschem mitachas sivlos Mitzrayim (6:6)
Hashem instructed Moshe to tell the Jewish people that He will take them...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Shemos
Havah nis'chakmah lo (1:10)
In the early days of the state of Israel, one of the most painful episodes for religious Jewry was known as...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Mikeitz
V'sham itanu na'ar Ivri eved l'sar ha'tabachim (41:12)
Rashi writes that even when he was forced to mention Yosef’s remarkable ability to interpret dreams, the...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayishlach
Izim masayim u'teyashim esrim (32:15)
Prior to his fateful encounter with his irate brother Eisav, Yaakov made multiple efforts to appease him. Among the avenues...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayeitzei
Vayeitzei Yaakov miBe’er Shava vayeilech Charana (28:10)
Those who pay careful attention to the parsha while reviewing it or during its public reading on Shabbos...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Lech Lecha
Vayomer Hashem el Avram lech lecha me’artzecha umimoladtecha umibeis avicha el ha’aretz asher areka v’e’escha l’goy gadol v’avarech’cha v’agadla shmecha vehyeh beracha (12:1-2)
In commanding...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Bereishis
בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ (1:1)
On Simchas Torah, we complete the annual cycle of the public reading of the Torah by finishing Parshas...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayeilech
Vayomer aleihem ben meah v’esrim shana anochi hayom (31:2)
Rav Chaim Kanievsky is world-renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge and memory, as well as for...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Nitzavim
כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשתו (30:14)
The Ponovezher Rav once traveled toSouth Africato strengthen and encourage the Lithuanian Jews who had relocated...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Ki Savo
ואמרת לפני ד' אלקיך בערתי הקדש מן הבית וגם נתתיו ללוי ולגר ליתום ולאלמנה
ככל מצותך אשר צויתני לא עברתי ממצותיך ולא שכחתי (26:13)
There is...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Ki Seitzei
וראית בשביה אשת יפת תאר וחשקת בה ולקחת לך לאשה (21:11)
Parshas Ki Seitzei begins by discussing the y’fas toar – woman of beautiful form. The Torah...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Shoftim
נביא מקרבך מאחיך כמני יקים לך ד' אלקיך אליו תשמעון (18:15)
A biography was once written about Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin. Before publication, the manuscript was shown...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Re’eh
Lo sa’ason kein l’Hashem Elokeichem (12:4)
After instructing the Jewish people to break and smash the idolatrous temples and pillars which they will find in...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Matos-Massei
Vay’dabeir Moshe el roshei ha’matos liv’nei Yisroel leimor zeh ha’davar asher tzivah Hashem ish ki yidor neder L’Hashem … lo yachel devaro k’chol ha’yotzei...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Pinchas
Pinchas ben Elozar ben Aharon HaKohen heishiv es chamasi me’al B’nei Yisroel b’kano es kinasi (25:11)
The mystics teach that through his actions, Pinchas atoned...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Chukas
Vayomer Hashem el Moshe v'el Aharon ya'an lo he'emantem bee l'hakdisheini l'einei B'nei Yisroel la'chein lo savi'u es ha'kahal ha'zeh el ha'aretz asher nasati...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Shelach
Vayishlach osam Moshe mimidbar Paran al pi Hashem kulam anashim roshei B’nei Yisroel heima (13:3)
In relating that Moshe sent spies to scout out the...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Behaaloscha
Zacharnu es hadaga asher nochal b’Mitzrayim chinam (11:5)
On our verse, which relates that the complainers lamented their recollection of the fish they used to...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Bamidbar-Shavuos
Se'u es Rosh kol adas B'nei Yisroel (1:2)
There is a mystical idea that the content of the parsha read each Shabbos is connected to...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Behar-Bechukosai
V'safarta lecha sheva shab'sos shanim sheva shanim sheva pe'amim (25:8)
After relating the mitzvah of allowing the land to rest every seven years during Shemittah...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Emor
U'min HaMikdash lo yeitzei (21:12)
After detailing the laws governing Kohanim, the Torah turns to the unique requirements for the Kohen Gadol, one of which...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim
Vay’dabeir Hashem el Moshe acharei mos shnei b’nei Aharon b’kirvasam lifnei Hashem vayamusu (16:1)
In commanding Aharon not to enter the Kodesh Kodashim without permission,...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Tzav
והרים את הדשן אשר תאכל האש את העלה על המזבח ... והוציא את הדשן אל מחוץ למחנה (6:3-4)
Our parsha begins with the mitzvah of...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayikra
Adam ki yakriv mikem korban l'Hashem (1:2)
Sefer Bereishis discusses the creation of the universe and the formation of the Jewish people. The book of...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayakhel/Pekudei
V’chol hanashim asher nasah liban osana b’chochma tavu es ha’izim (35:26)
Rashi writes that the women displayed special skills and wisdom in spinning the...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Ki Sisa
Vayomer Hashem el Moshe kach lecha samim nataf ush’cheiles v’chelbena samim u’levona zakah … v’asisa osah ketores (30:34-35)
At the end of the morning prayers...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Tetzaveh/Purim
V’haya al Aharon l’shares v’nishma kolo b’vo’o el HaKodesh lifnei Hashem uv’tzeiso v’lo yamus (28:35)
The Gemora in Pesachim (112a) records that Rabbi Akiva...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Terumah
V'asu li Mikdash v'shachanti b'socham (25:8)
In Shir HaShirim (3:11), Shlomo HaMelech refers to an event which occurred on the day of his wedding and...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Mishpotim
Im ra’ah b’einei adoneha asher lo y’adah ... v’im liv’no yiadenah k’mishpat ha’banos ya’aseh lah (21:8-9)
The Mishnah in Avos (3:17) teaches that without Torah...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Yisro
Vayishma Yisro (18:1)
Rashi writes that Yisro was known by seven different names, each of which has a different meaning. One of the names is...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Beshalach
Vaya’minu b’Hashem uv’Moshe avdo (14:31)
After witnessing the death of their Egyptian pursuers, the Torah testifies that the Jewish people believed in Hashem and His...